Kashyapa Buddha: The Story of the Original Buddha

Introduction

Buddha Kashyapa‘s birthplace was Varanasi City where King Kiki reigned; his father was Brahmin Brahmadatta and his mother Dhanavati, a Brabmin lady. He lived a household life for two thousand years; his three mansions were Hamsa, Yasa, and Sirinanda. His wife was Sunanda, a Brahmin lady who had forty-eight thousand Brahmin women as attendants; his son was Vijitasena.

The vehicle in which he renounced the world was a mansion; he practised dukkaracariya for seven days. His two Chief Disciples were Tissa Thera and Bharadvaja Thera; his attendant was Sabbamitta Thera. His two female Chief Disciples were Anula Theri and Uruvela Theri; his Bodhi Tree was a Nigrodha. His noble supporters were Sumangala and Ghatikara the Potter; his female supporters were Vijitasena Upasika and Bhadda Upasika. Buddha Kassapa’s height was twenty cubits; he was glorious like forceful lightning and the full moon surrounded by planets and stars. The life span in his time was twenty thousand; he lived for four-fifths of the life span rescuing numerous beings from samsaric waters to place them on the shores of Nibbana.

Kashyapa Buddha created a big pond of Pariyatti Dhamma for several beings – humans, Devas, and Brahmas and gave the ‘Chatu Parisuddhi Sila’ for them to beautify their minds, made them put on the garments of Hiriand Ottappa, distributed among them the flowers of thirty-seven Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma, and placed the spotless mirror of Sotapatti Magga so that they could see clearly for themselves distinguishing between faulty things and faultless things, between acts of merit and acts of unwholesomeness.

He placed the mirror as though he were inviting those who were wandering in search of Nibbana near the aforesaid pond, “Behold (yourselves in) all kinds of adornment.” By providing those who listened to his admonishment with the raiments of the five precepts, ten precepts and the four Chatu Parisuddhi Sila so that they could fight against their enemy of defilement; by making them fasten their coats of mail of the four mundane and five supramundane jhanas; by making them wear the leather robe of Sati and Sampajanna; by supplying them with the full military equipment of sublime energy of four levels by giving them the shield of four Satipatthanas so that they could defend themselves from various enemy—defilements; (by making his army of Disciples) wield the lances of very sharp Vipassana and gave them the sword of Magga Panna the swords that had been sharpened on the whet stone of viriya; by handing to them the supramundane precepts so that they could eradicate their inclinations to associate with defilements; by giving them various dressing articles of three Vijjas and six Abhinnanas having fashioned the crowning flower of supramundane Fruitions so that they could adorn and beautify themselves with; and by making a big cluster of the flowers of nine supramundane Dhammas and together with it he gave them the white umbrella of Arahattaphala so that they could protect themselves against the sun of demerits, Buddha Kassapa created the great bloom of the Eightfold Magga leading happily to the haven of Nibbana.

That Kashyapa Buddha and his numerous Disciple-Arahats attained Parinibbana and came to the end of his final existence.

The meeting of Buddha Kassapa’s arahat disciples took place just once. In the city of Baranashi, when Tissa, son of the Purohita, saw the thirty-two marks of an extra-ordinary being on the body of Bodhisatta Kasyapa, he remembered his father’s word that “only those who would become Buddhas can have such marks”. As he had not one iota of doubt about it, he thought to himself: “This Kashyapa (कश्यप बुद्ध) will become a Buddha through supreme renunciation. I shall work hard to be free from suffering of saṃsāra after becoming a monk in the presence of this Buddha Kashyapa.” Accordingly, he went to the Himalayas and became an ascetic even before Bodhisatta Kasyapa renounced the world. The ascetics of his company were twenty thousand in number.

Kashyapa Buddha as mentioned by Traveler Fa-Hien

MOUNT GURUPADA, WHERE KASYAPA BUDDHA’S ENTIRE SKELETON IS.

“(The travellers), going on from this three le to the south, came to a mountain named Gurupada,(1) inside which Mahakasyapa even now is. He made a cleft, and went down into it, though the place where he entered would not (now) admit a man. Having gone down very far, there was a hole on one side, and there the complete body of Kasyapa (still) abides. Outside the hole (at which he entered) is the earth with which he had washed his hands. (2) If the people living thereabouts have a sore on their heads, they plaster on it some of the earth from this and feel immediately easier. (3) On this mountain, now as of old, there are Arhats abiding. Devotees of our Law from the various countries in that quarter go year by year to the mountain, and present offerings to Kasyapa; and to those whose hearts are strong in faith there come Arhats at night, and talk with them, discussing and explaining their doubts, and disappearing suddenly afterwards.

On this hill hazels grow luxuriously; and there are many lions, tigers, and wolves so that people should not travel incautiously”.

NOTES-Kashyapa Buddha

(1) “Fowl’s-foot hill,” “with three peaks, resembling the foot of a chicken. It lies seven miles south-east of Gaya, and was the residence of Mahakasyapa, who is said to be still living inside this mountain.” So Eitel says, p. 58; but this chapter does not say that Kasyapa is in the mountain alive, but that his body entire is in a recess or hole in it. Hardy (M. B., p. 97) says that after Kasyapa Buddha’s body was burnt, the bones still remained in their usual position, presenting the appearance of a perfect skeleton. It is of him that the chapter speaks, and not of the famous disciple of Sâkyamuni, who also is called Mahakasyapa. This will appear also on a comparison of Eitel’s articles on “Mahakasyapa” and “Kasyapa Buddha.”

(2) Was it a custom to wash the hands with “earth,” as is often done with sand?

(3) This I conceive to be the meaning here.

कस्सपबुद्धवंसो (Cornicle of Kashyapa Buddha)

कश्यप बुद्ध

१. कोणागमनस्स अपरेन, सम्बुद्धो द्विपदुत्तमो। कस्सपो नाम गोत्तेन, धम्मराजा पभङ्करो॥

२. सञ्छड्डितं कुलमूलं, बह्वन्‍नपानभोजनं।

दत्वान याचके दानं, पूरयित्वान मानसं।

उसभोव आळकं भेत्वा, पत्तो सम्बोधिमुत्तमं॥

३. धम्मचक्‍कं पवत्तेन्ते, कस्सपे लोकनायके।

वीसकोटिसहस्सानं, पठमाभिसमयो अहु॥

४. चतुमासं यदा बुद्धो, लोके चरति चारिकं।

दसकोटिसहस्सानं, दुतियाभिसमयो अहु॥

५. यमकं विकुब्बनं कत्वा, ञाणधातुं पकित्तयि।

पञ्‍चकोटिसहस्सानं, ततियाभिसमयो अहु॥

६. सुधम्मा देवपुरे रम्मे, तत्थ धम्मं पकित्तयि।

तीणिकोटिसहस्सानं, देवानं बोधयी जिनो॥

७. नरदेवस्स यक्खस्स, अपरे धम्मदेसने।

एतेसानं अभिसमया, गणनातो असङ्खिया॥

८. तस्सापि देवदेवस्स, एको आसि समागमो।

खीणासवानं विमलानं, सन्तचित्तान तादिनं॥

९. वीसभिक्खुसहस्सानं, तदा आसि समागमो।

अतिक्‍कन्तभवन्तानं, हिरिसीलेन तादिनं॥

१०. अहं तदा माणवको, जोतिपालोति विस्सुतो।

अज्झायको मन्तधरो, तिण्णं वेदान पारगू॥

११. लक्खणे इतिहासे च, सधम्मे पारमिं गतो।

भूमन्तलिक्खकुसलो, कतविज्‍जो अनावयो॥

१२. कस्सपस्स भगवतो, घटिकारो नामुपट्ठाको।

सगारवो सप्पतिस्सो, निब्बुतो ततिये फले॥

१३. आदाय मं घटीकारो, उपगञ्छि कस्सपं जिनं।

तस्स धम्मं सुणित्वान, पब्बजिं तस्स सन्तिके॥

१४. आरद्धवीरियो हुत्वा, वत्तावत्तेसु कोविदो।

न क्‍वचि परिहायामि, पूरेसिं जिनसासनं॥

१५. यावता बुद्धभणितं, नवङ्गं जिनसासनं।

सब्बं परियापुणित्वान, सोभयिं जिनसासनं॥

१६. मम अच्छरियं दिस्वा, सोपि बुद्धो वियाकरि।

‘‘इमम्हि भद्दके कप्पे, अयं बुद्धो भविस्सति॥

१७. ‘‘अहु कपिलव्हया रम्मा, निक्खमित्वा तथागतो।

पधानं पदहित्वान, कत्वा दुक्‍करकारिकं॥

१८. ‘‘अजपालरुक्खमूले, निसीदित्वा तथागतो।

तत्थ पायासं पग्गय्ह, नेरञ्‍जरमुपेहिति॥

१९. ‘‘नेरञ्‍जराय तीरम्हि, पायासं परिभुञ्‍जिय।

पटियत्तवरमग्गेन, बोधिमूलमुपेहिति॥

२०. ‘‘ततो पदक्खिणं कत्वा, बोधिमण्डं अनुत्तरो।

अपराजितट्ठानम्हि , बोधिपल्‍लङ्कमुत्तमे।

पल्‍लङ्केन निसीदित्वा, बुज्झिस्सति महायसो॥

२१. ‘‘इमस्स जनिका माता, माया नाम भविस्सति।

पिता सुद्धोदनो नाम, अयं हेस्सति गोतमो॥

२२. ‘‘अनासवा वीतरागा, सन्तचित्ता समाहिता।

कोलितो उपतिस्सो च, अग्गा हेस्सन्ति सावका।

आनन्दो नामुपट्ठाको, उपट्ठिस्सतिमं जिनं॥

२३. ‘‘खेमा उप्पलवण्णा च, अग्गा हेस्सन्ति साविका।

अनासवा सन्तचित्ता, वीतरागा समाहिता।

बोधि तस्स भगवतो, अस्सत्थोति पवुच्‍चति॥

२४. ‘‘चित्तो हत्थाळवको च, अग्गा हेस्सन्तुपट्ठका।

नन्दमाता च उत्तरा, अग्गा हेस्सन्तुपट्ठिका’’॥

२५. इदं सुत्वान वचनं, अस्समस्स महेसिनो।

आमोदिता नरमरू, बुद्धबीजं किर अयं॥

२६. उक्‍कुट्ठिसद्दा पवत्तन्ति, अप्फोटेन्ति हसन्ति च।

कतञ्‍जली नमस्सन्ति, दससहस्सी सदेवका॥

२७. ‘‘यदिमस्स लोकनाथस्स, विरज्झिस्साम सासनं।

अनागतम्हि अद्धाने, हेस्साम सम्मुखा इमं॥

२८. ‘‘यथा मनुस्सा नदिं तरन्ता, पटितित्थं विरज्झिय।

हेट्ठा तित्थे गहेत्वान, उत्तरन्ति महानदिं॥

२९. ‘‘एवमेव मयं सब्बे, यदि मुञ्‍चामिमं जिनं।

अनागतम्हि अद्धाने, हेस्साम सम्मुखा इमं’’॥

३०. तस्सापि वचनं सुत्वा, भिय्यो चित्तं पसादयिं।

उत्तरिं वतमधिट्ठासिं, दसपारमिपूरिया॥

३१. एवमहं संसरित्वा, परिवज्‍जेन्तो अनाचरं।

दुक्‍करञ्‍च कतं मय्हं, बोधियायेव कारणा॥

३२. नगरं बाराणसी नाम, किकी नामासि खत्तियो। वसते तत्थ नगरे, सम्बुद्धस्स महाकुलं॥

३३. ब्राह्मणो ब्रह्मदत्तोव, आसि बुद्धस्स सो पिता।

धनवती नाम जनिका, कस्सपस्स महेसिनो॥

३४. दुवे वस्ससहस्सानि, अगारं अज्झ सो वसि।

हंसो यसो सिरिनन्दो, तयो पासादमुत्तमा॥

३५. तिसोळससहस्सानि, नारियो समलङ्कता।

सुनन्दा नाम सा नारी, विजितसेनो नाम अत्रजो॥

३६. निमित्ते चतुरो दिस्वा, पासादेनाभिनिक्खमि।

सत्ताहं पधानचारं, अचरी पुरिसुत्तमो॥

३७. ब्रह्मुना याचितो सन्तो, कस्सपो लोकनायको।

वत्ति चक्‍कं महावीरो, मिगदाये नरुत्तमो॥

३८. तिस्सो च भारद्वाजो च, अहेसुं अग्गसावका।

सब्बमित्तो नामुपट्ठाको, कस्सपस्स महेसिनो॥

३९. अनुळा उरुवेळा च, अहेसुं अग्गसाविका।

बोधि तस्स भगवतो, निग्रोधोति पवुच्‍चति॥

४०. सुमङ्गलो घटिकारो च, अहेसुं अग्गुपट्ठका।

विचितसेना भद्दा च, अहेसुं अग्गुपट्ठिका॥

४१. उच्‍चत्तनेन सो बुद्धो, वीसतिरतनुग्गतो।

विज्‍जुलट्ठीव आकासे, चन्दोव गहपूरितो॥

४२. वीसतिवस्ससहस्सानि , आयु तस्स महेसिनो।

तावता तिट्ठमानो सो, तारेसि जनतं बहुं॥

४३. धम्मतळाकं मापयित्वा, सीलं दत्वा विलेपनं।

धम्मदुस्सं निवासेत्वा, धम्ममालं विभज्‍जिय॥

४४. धम्मविमलमादासं, ठपयित्वा महाजने।

केचि निब्बानं पत्थेन्ता, पस्सन्तु मे अलङ्करं॥

४५. सीलकञ्‍चुकं दत्वान, झानकवचवम्मितं।

धम्मचम्मं पारुपित्वा, दत्वा सन्‍नाहमुत्तमं॥

४६. सतिफलकं दत्वान, तिखिणञाणकुन्तिमं।

धम्मखग्गवरं दत्वा, सीलसंसग्गमद्दनं॥

४७. तेविज्‍जाभूसनं दत्वान, आवेळं चतुरो फले।

छळभिञ्‍ञाभरणं दत्वा, धम्मपुप्फपिळन्धनं॥

४८. सद्धम्मपण्डरच्छत्तं, दत्वा पापनिवारणं।

मापयित्वाभयं पुप्फं, निब्बुतो सो ससावको॥

४९. एसो हि सम्मासम्बुद्धो, अप्पमेय्यो दुरासदो।

एसो हि धम्मरतनो, स्वाक्खातो एहिपस्सिको॥

५०. एसो हि सङ्घरतनो, सुप्पटिपन्‍नो अनुत्तरो।

सब्बं तमन्तरहितं, ननु रित्ता सब्बसङ्खारा॥

५१. महाकस्सपो जिनो सत्था, सेतब्यारामम्हि निब्बुतो।

तत्थेवस्स जिनथूपो, योजनुब्बेधमुग्गतोति॥

जिन कश्यप बुद्ध

“I am not the first Buddha to come upon earth, nor shall I be the last. Previously there were many Buddhas who appeared in this world. In due time, another Buddha will arise in this world, a Holy One, a Supremely Enlightened One, endowed with wisdom, in auspicious conduct, knowing the universe, an incomparable leader of men, a master of devas and men. He will reveal to you the same Eternal Truths which I have taught you. He will proclaim a religious life, wholly perfect and pure, such as I now proclaim. He will be known as Maitreya, which means kindness or friendliness.”

Read more:

Buddha Darshana-Madhavacharya

An essay on Buddha and Karl Marx – BR Ambedkar -1954

Buddhist Canonical Text in Pali – Tripitaka

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